


What We Could Be

by Mixk



Series: Stronger Than Us [1]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Gifset, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-04
Updated: 2013-10-04
Packaged: 2017-12-28 10:17:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/990872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mixk/pseuds/Mixk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If he's honest with himself, Herc wishes a lot of things when it comes to Raleigh Becket. Most of them come to him in dreams, dreams that he would never dare speak of, is ashamed to have laid bare in his mind when he drifts with his son.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What We Could Be

**Author's Note:**

  * For [menel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/menel/gifts).



"Sorry about your brother," Herc says as the rough pads of Raleigh's fingers brush against his palm, the handshake as strong as you could expect from two soldiers. To lay eyes upon that still so young-looking face again, after what feels like an eternity, is something Herc never thought he would get to do before he, too, fell at the hands of the Kaijus. Over the course of the past few months, as more Jaegers fell one after the other, thoughts of all the rangers that gave their lives for this fight have been plaguing Herc. Among them, he couldn't get the Becket brothers out of his mind, unable to stop comparing Raleigh with his own son, how young Raleigh was when he lost everything.

"Thank you, sir," Raleigh returns with a nod, blue eyes boring into his own. Herc loses himself in that blue gaze, and he realizes with a pinch to the heart that nothing has changed. That kid still has a strong hold on him. What kind of hold, he doesn't know, but it makes his jaw clench to think his own legs moved of their own the moment he caught glimpse of Raleigh walking his way. He's aware of Stacker talking beside them, and he can barely follow the conversation, cursing himself for being so distracted. 

"Shall we, Herc?"

Stacker's voice snaps him out of his haze, and he's glad to be given the opportunity to leave before he embarasses himself more than he already has, staring so openly at Raleigh.

"Good to have you back," he tells Raleigh, the latter's face lighting up ever so slightly at his words.

"Thank you, sir," Raleigh replies, and Herc wishes then that such formality didn't exist between them. If he's honest with himself, Herc wishes a lot of things when it comes to Raleigh Becket. Most of them come to him in dreams, dreams that he would never dare speak of, is ashamed to have laid bare in his mind when he drifts with his son. Speaking of whom, it occurs to Herc then that things cannot go well between Raleigh and Chuck, with Chuck knowing what he knows. He heaves a sigh, already dreading all the complications ahead of him. He's about to follow Stacker when a hand stops him, prompting him to look back up at those blue eyes again.

"Sorry, sir," Raleigh says as they both look at their joined hands, Herc's heart racing against his chest at the contact. Raleigh lets go of his hand, looking like the perfect picture of a kid who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "I just wanted to ask you if you'd like to join me for a drink tonight?"

Herc is taken aback, not only by the request, but by the earnest tone and hopeful look Raleigh's giving him. He's aware of Stacker and Mako watching them curiously, but he couldn't care less at the moment. He feels his ears burning hot, warmth spreading throughout his entire body like a sepsis, and it feels all so familiar.  _Shit_ , he thinks as realization strikes him.

"It would be my pleasure," he answers with as neutral a tone as he can manage, trying to ignore the butterflies spreading free in his chest when Raleigh gives him a full blown smile.

He leaves for good then, apologizing to Stacker for the wait, only to glare at the latter when Herc sees the amused expression on his friend's face.

"Shut up," he mutters with no real scorn behind it. Not even a kaiju could dampen his mood, Herc reckons.

"I didn't say anything," Stacker replies, and damn the bastard for sounding so objective even when he's being smug.

**Author's Note:**

> This is for you, menel. I hadn't intended to write this little drabble, but I felt it would be...empty, with just the gifs. God, I feel silly for gifting you with such mediocre writing. I hope you like the gifs at least !


End file.
